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Sunday, June 5, 2016

Seat D30: A Poem

If
you’ve ever been on an airplane, you know they can be uncomfortable things. If
you’re a passenger, you have the privilege of arriving an hour or more before
your flight, hustling through security (hopefully without getting pulled aside
and patted down. Awkward!), searching for your gate, waiting to get on the
plane, all so you can sit in an uncomfortable seat for at least an hour in a
pressurized container with recycled air. If you’re fortunate, you won’t get
stuck behind a crying baby, in front of a restless child kicking your seat, or
near somebody who’s sick. (The latter of which doesn’t, ultimately matter. I
did mention it was recycled air right?But
don’t let me put you off flying! I thoroughly enjoy travelling. I really do.
And flying often is the most convenient, even if it’s not the most comfortable,
way to do it. I can’t count how many times I’ve flown, but I remember flying all by myself for the first time at age 14 and was quite comfortable with doing so. Today,
international travel for me is a breeze! (As long as you don’t check your
luggage, don’t wear bejeweled pants/shirt/belt, ensure you have all your
liquids separate, etc., etc.)

Perhaps
the most interesting thing about international flights are the views, and I’m
not just talking about the transatlantic ones where you get a mini TV. No, by
far, the best views are the ones of foreign countries—the coastline of England,
the rolling hills of Ireland, the rivers of Germany, and the Alps of Austria
and Switzerland. Oh, the Alps? How can I describe the majestic beauties?

I’ve
always found myself in awe of mountains, having lived in both Washington State
and Hawai’i, but nothing can compare to the Alps, as far as I’ve seen anyway. I’ve
had the privilege of driving through them, biking through them, and just
admiring them the day I turned 18. So you can image what a change of
perspective flying over them was.
Even though everything seems so much smaller, the mountain range couldn’t diminish
in beauty. It just reminded me of how small and insignificant the human race
can seem.